The US president heaped plaudits on the Ankara strongman, who has been accused of trying to turn his own nation into a dictatorship following April’s controversial referendum, ahead of a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Welcoming Mr Erdogan, the president said: “It’s a great honour and privilege, because he’s become a friend of mine, to introduce president Erdogan of Turkey.
“He’s running a very difficult part of the world.
“He’s involved very, very strongly and, frankly, he’s getting very high marks.”
In April, president Erdogan won a constitutional referendum giving him sweeping new powers and turning Turkey from a parliamentary state into a presidential republic.
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The role of prime minister was scrapped, parliament’s ability to scrutinise ministers was removed and Mr Erdogan has been imbued with the power to appoint judges.
The ballot also came after Mr Erdogan’s government launched a brutal crackdown on political opponents following the failed military coup in 2016.
Speaking through a translator, Mr Erdogan paid back Mr Trump’s compliments, referring to him as “my dear friend Donald”.
The apparent truce is all the more peculiar given that Mr Erodgan had earlier accused the US of hypocrisy over the perceived shielding of Fethullah Gulen, the man Mr Erdogan claims orchestrated last year’s coup.
Mr Gulen denies any involvement in the July 2016 coup attempt, during which more than 240 people were killed.
At the Bloomberg Global Business Forum on Wednesday, Mr Erdogan said: “Gulen’s entire network is being run from the United States. Terrorists should not be harboured here. We need US assistance on this matter.”
In another blow to America, he also said said Turkey was ready with Russia to send more troops to Syria because it was the only way to defeat Isis and Kurdish fighters in the war-torn country.
Strengthening of ties with Moscow is a blow to the US, which sees Turkey as a key strategic partner in the region.
The country is a part of the US-led coalition against Isis but ties have become strained over Washington’s support for the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG.
Despite Mr Erdogan insisting he and Donald Trump are “friends” the partnership was further tested in May when Turkish security officials were involved in street fighting with protesters during a visit to Washington.